An Unexpected Visitor | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: An Unexpected Visitor | Previous Challenge Entry
By Tammy Dovichak
07/08/09
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“Mrs. Winston,” chimed the overly friendly nurse, “you have a visitor!”

No words would be spoken from Mrs. Winston to show she understood or even heard what the nurse was saying to her. She would offer no movement or eye contact. Mrs. Winston had not uttered a word in the two full years she had lived at the elderly caring facility. In fact, when her husband had passed during the month before her arrival at this center, her cries of grief were the last sound her children had heard from her lips.

“Come on in, Daniel,” the nurse said gently as she ushered him into the stale, dimly lit room. “She won’t talk, but I’m sure she can hear you.”

The door stood open as the nurse made her exit. Privacy, it seemed, was not a luxury one could hope for during the twilight years.

Daniel stood at the foot of Mrs. Winston’s bed for what felt like an eternity, too afraid to interrupt any peace she might be enjoying.

A few more moments passed, each more uncomfortable than the last. He began pulling a folded and wrinkled magazine page from his jacket pocket. The light crinkling noise from the paper claimed no reaction from the silent, old woman.

“Mrs. Winston,” Daniel began, after briefly clearing his throat. “I came here today because of this article I found in a drawer of my Mother’s things, last week.”

*Still no sound or movement*

“You see, she recently passed away and, as her only child, I have the pleasure of clearing her house and tending to her estate. This means nothing to you I know, but this article had a very special place on the door of our refrigerator for as long as I can remember. When my Mother took ill, she kept it folded by her bedside. It’s an article you wrote for a magazine contest more than thirty years ago.”

Daniel stood silent long enough to catch his breath and wipe away tears beginning to pool in the corners of both eyes.

“I am thirty-two years old, Mrs. Winston. My Mother was only a few weeks pregnant with me when she read this article for the first time. She was separated from my Father because of both physical and emotional abuse. She had been forced to move back in with her parents. The news of her pregnancy had not been as joyous as one might expect. As a matter of fact, she had decided that an abortion was her only option. In her suffering, giving birth to her abuser’s child was simply too much for her to bear.”

Daniel caught his breath and attempted to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. He took a moment to gaze out the small window, mostly covered by thick, maroon drapes. There wasn’t much to see out that window… Just a few clouds… Maybe a passing bird, but it soothed him enough to continue.

“She stumbled onto this article while sitting in the waiting room of the clinic. She was literally moments away from ending my life. Your article seems simple enough when I read it, but it changed her entire perspective. She tore this page from the magazine and walked out of that clinic and into the first church she could find.”

Tears were now falling freely from Daniel’s sad, brown eyes, but he wore a deep, peaceful smile as he spoke.

“Thank you for telling her God loved her, Mrs. Winston. I honestly don’t know if she ever would have come to that realization on her own.”

With nothing further to say, Daniel gently placed the worn article on the stand beside Mrs. Winston’s bed. Then, he placed a soft kiss on her cheek, leaving a tear behind as he pulled away. He turned and headed toward the door.

“Thank you,” a tired, raspy voice whispered.

He turned, startled to find Mrs. Winston’s eyes on his.

Now, it was her turn to smile. “You just never know what a difference God can make with something as simple as your words.”

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